the Beatles

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The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964; Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon sing and play guitars at the front, with Ringo Starr on drums in the back.

The Beatles, from left: George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon, stand together in matching collarless grey suits, smiling for a photo in 1963.

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Pete Best, and John Lennon of the Beatles perform onstage in leather jackets at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, February 1961.

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon of The Beatles performing on stage at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, wearing suits and playing guitars, circa 1962.

Brian Epstein seated at a table holding papers, wearing a dark suit and looking toward the camera, with a window and curtains in the background.

Black and white portrait of The Beatles, left to right: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, all wearing suits and ties, smiling at the camera.

Film director Richard Lester stands with The Beatles-George Harrison, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney-on a film set during the making of A Hard Day's Night in 1964.

Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon run down a cobblestone alley in London, wearing suits, in a scene from the Beatles movie A Hard Day's Night.

At a Glance

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Beatles summary

the Beatles: Media

British rock group

Images

The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964; Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon sing and play guitars at the front, with Ringo Starr on drums in the back.

The Beatles

British rock group the Beatles performing on The Ed Sullivan Show, February...

© Daily Mirror—Mirrorpix/Getty Images

The Beatles, from left: George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon, stand together in matching collarless grey suits, smiling for a photo in 1963.

The Beatles

British rock-and-roll quartet the Beatles (from left): George Harrison, Ringo Starr,...

© V&A Images—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Pete Best, and John Lennon of the Beatles perform onstage in leather jackets at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, February 1961.

Early Beatles

The Beatles performing at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, February 1961. Left to right...

© Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon of The Beatles performing on stage at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, wearing suits and playing guitars, circa 1962.

At the Cavern Club

The Beatles performing at the Cavern Club, a nightclub in Liverpool, England, c....

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Brian Epstein seated at a table holding papers, wearing a dark suit and looking toward the camera, with a window and curtains in the background.

Brian Epstein

English music entrepreneur and manager of the Beatles Brian Epstein, 1966.

© C. Maher/Daily Express—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Black and white portrait of The Beatles, left to right: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, all wearing suits and ties, smiling at the camera.

The Beatles (from left): Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr

Ringo Starr joined the Beatles as the band's drummer in 1962.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Film director Richard Lester stands with The Beatles-George Harrison, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney-on a film set during the making of A Hard Day's Night in 1964.

Filming A Hard Day's Night

Director Richard Lester (center) with the Beatles during the filming of A Hard...

© United Artists Corportation

Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon run down a cobblestone alley in London, wearing suits, in a scene from the Beatles movie A Hard Day's Night.

A Hard Day's Night

Publicity still of a scene from the Beatles movie A Hard Day's Night in...

© 1964 United Artists

Beatlemania

Beatlemania

Screaming fans during the filming of the musical Beatles' movie Help! on...

Stan Meagher—Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Help!

Help!

Publicity still from Help! (1965), directed by Richard Lester and starring...

Walter Shenson Films/Subafilms

Ringo Starr stands in front of a wall of electronic equipment, wearing a jacket, shorts, boots, and a large circular device on his head in a publicity still from Help! (1965).

Ringo Starr in Help!

Publicity still of Ringo Starr in Help! (1965), directed by Richard Lester.

Walter Shenson Films/Subafilms

Black-and-white publicity still from Help! (1965) showing George Harrison playing guitar in the foreground and Ringo Starr at the drums in the background.

George Harrison in Help!

Publicity still of George Harrison (front) and Ringo Starr in Help! (1965),...

Walter Shenson Films/Subafilms

George Harrison, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney of The Beatles smile and wave to fans while standing outdoors at the Boston airport in 1966.

The Beatles in America

British rock group the Beatles waving to screaming fans en route to a Boston airport....

Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

John Lennon plays guitar while Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and manager Brian Epstein relax together in a Paris hotel room with a table of food in the foreground.

The Beatles with George Epstein

John Lennon playing guitar while the other Beatles, Paul McCartney, George Harrison,...

© Harry Benson—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Album cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released...

Vinyls/Alamy

Animated versions of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison from Yellow Submarine stand in colorful uniforms with a crowd of characters behind them.

Yellow Submarine

The Beatles portrayed in the animated film Yellow Submarine (1968), directed...

© 1968 United Artists Corporation

Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison of The Beatles perform with instruments and microphones on the rooftop of Apple Corps in London, with amplifiers and cables around them.

Final concert

Publicity still of the Beatles performing on the roof of their Apple Corps headquarters...

© Apple Films/United Artists

Meeting Ed Sullivan

Meeting Ed Sullivan

Ed Sullivan (left) greeting the Beatles before their live television appearance on...

AP Images

The Beatles, left to right Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, stand outside Buckingham Palace holding their MBE medals and certificates.

The Fab Four

The Beatles (from left): Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison,...

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

George Harrison, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and John Lennon seated together and smiling at the UNICEF Gala in Paris, with two men in suits behind them.

Transcendental Beatles

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (center) with George Harrison (left) and John Lennon (right)...

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Publicity still from Let It Be featuring a close-up of John Lennon singing, with smaller photos of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison on the left, and the film title below.

Let It Be (1970)

The album Let It Be by the Beatles was released on May 8, 1970, nearly a...

Apple Corps

Paul McCartney sings and plays guitar on stage wearing a striped jacket and red shirt during the Super Bowl XXXIX halftime show in Jacksonville, Florida.

Paul McCartney

Former Beatle Paul McCartney performing the Super Bowl halftime show in Jacksonville,...

Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

Ringo Starr wearing sunglasses and a striped jacket, smiling and gesturing with both hands while performing on stage under blue and purple lights.

Ringo Starr

Former Beatle Ringo Starr performing in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 2013.

© Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Entrance to Abbey Road Studios in London, showing stone steps, two potted trees, and a green plaque on the white exterior wall.

Abbey Road Studios

The Beatles made the great majority of their recordings at Abbey Road Studios in...

© C./Shutterstock.com

The Beatles (from left): Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison

The Beatles (from left): Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison

Ringo Starr joined the Beatles as the band's drummer in 1962.

© David Redfern—Redferns/Retna Ltd.

the Beatles

the Beatles

The Beatles, c. 1969–70: (from left) George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney,...

The Bettmann Archive

John Lennon smiling and playing guitar in a black turtleneck, from a publicity still for the 1965 Beatles film Help! directed by Richard Lester.

Help!

John Lennon in a publicity still for Help! (1965), directed by Richard Lester.

Walter Shenson Films/Subafilms

Publicity still from A Hard Day's Night showing the Beatles-Ringo Starr, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney-standing in suits beside a train.

A Hard Day's Night

(From left to right) Ringo Starr, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney...

Proscenium Films

The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night.

The Beatles in A Hard Day's Night.

United Artists/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock.com

Podcasts

On This Day: August 12

Kurt Heintz of Encyclopædia Britannica discusses the time John Lennon claimed the...

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